Ghei triumphs at Pine Valley Beijing Open

Beijing, Apr 29 (UNI) Gaurav Ghei broke away from a four-way lead to chalk up his third win in Asia, carding a blemish-free three-under 69 to win the inaugural 5,00,000 dollar Pine Valley Beijing Open here today.

The Chinese capital was headed for an exciting showdown with as many as four players including India's Ghei sharing the top spot after the penultimate round.

The 38-year-old pocketed the top prize of 79,250 dollars, taking him to the seventh position on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit with total earnings of 189,164 dollars.

''I had a game plan of playing to my strength and that's what I did today. I told myself to go out and play one hole at a time.

I hit the ball well and made it easy,'' Ghei said.

''I didn't make bogey, so it was just a solid round of golf.

I'm extremely happy,'' the Delhi-based golfer added.

The Indian talent ended his 11-year drought with a triumph at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters last year which had sparked off a rich vein of form and with birdies on the fifth, eighth and 13th holes in the final stretch today.

However, the other Indians in the fray -- Kolkata talent SSP Chowrasia and Amandeep Johl, who were tied for the 50th spot had enjoyed a slightly better final round and climbed up to tied 29th and tied 35th spot respectively.

Chowrasia carded a decent three-under 69 for an aggregate of three-under 285 while Johl came up with two-under 70 to total two-under 286 at the Asian Tour event.

While Chowrasia fired four birides against a solitary dropped shot, Johl blasted three birdies against a lone bogey.

''Last year was a great win as it ended an 11-year drought.

But I wanted to win another tournament to prove to myself that my win last year was no fluke and to do it here in such a short span of time is very satisfying indeed,'' Ghei said.

''I put in a lot of hard work and it feels great to win it again,'' added Ghei, who had previously won the 1995 Gadgil Western Masters.

Ghei dedicated the win to his sponsor, India Cements, saying ''they've been with me for 13 years and more times out of that, it's been very tough as I've not been playing well.

The champion Indian made the cut in the past seven straight events competed this year before his success today.

Meanwhile, Australian Adam Blyth, who was sharing the lead yesterday, fell behind by two strokes followed by Thai duo Chapchai Nirat and Thaworn Wiratchant.

Scores : 1) 274 - Gaurav Ghei (IND) 65-72-68-69 2) 276 - Adam Blyth (AUS) 70-68-67-71 3) 277 - Chapchai Nirat (THA) 69-67-73-68, 3) 277 - Thaworn Wiratchant(THA) 72-68-67-70, UNI